Segregated drive for paper machines and the like



1,614,142 Ja 1927' w. 1.. MERRILL SEGREGATED DRIVE FOR PAPER MACHINES AND THE LIKE original Filed Feb. 9, 1920 Torsion Dynamometer 77 magnet/c Clutch Wilbur Lhmerrill, y flw w His Atbornet Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES intern PATENT orsics.

WILBUR L. MERRILL, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNUR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YURK.

SEGREGATED DRIVE FOB PAPER MAGHINES AND THE LIKE Original application flledFebruary 9, 1920, Serial No. 357,213. Divided and this application filed November 1, 1922, Serial No. 598,405. Renewed October My invention relates to a segregated drive for paper machines and the like in which a plurality of the driven elements are normally required to operate in fixed speed relation and in which it is essential that the speed of any individual elementof the machine, as Well as of the machine as a Whole, be readily adjustable.

This application is a division of my former application, Serial No. 357,219, filed February 9, 1920, for segregated drives for paper making machines and the like, in which I have described and broadly claimed the segregated drive of this application and specifically claimed a type of drive employing electrically tied in synchronous motors for effecting the automatic speed control. of a plurality of separate driving units.

An object of my invention is to provide an efficient form of segregated drive in which. the speed relation of the various machine elements is maintained absolutely fixed, While at the same time this fixed speed relation may be readily adjusted and this accomplished Without the use of speed adjnsting devices transmitting large amounts of power.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which from the source of power to the winders is rugged and substantial and in which no complicated or delicate governing or regulating machine is employed, whereby the apparatus he ndjusted and. operated hy the ordinary mill force without the attention of skilled electricians My invention. will he better understood from the following description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing, end its scope will he pointed out in the oppended s for this type of machine l scpone.

brought approximately to the speed desired for making paper and the stock pot on the wire, it is necessary that means he provided, whereby each section of the machine may he adjusted from the approximate speed at which it is running to the exact speed necessary to convey the paper from the preceding section to the section under adjustment Without stretching snfiiciently to break the paper or retardation sufficient to allow the sheet to accumulate at the section in question. After the sheet has been properly adjusted through all of the elements or sections of the machine, it is essential that the speed relation of the various elements he maintained fixed regardless of changes in the load or other changes 'WillCll tend to disturb the speed. at which the driving motor for any individual element tends to run. It is also essential that the controlling means for maintaining the fixed speed relation in question shall operate upon any tendency of an individual element of the machine to vary its speed relation to the remaining elements, as distinguished from operating to correct a departnre in speed which has taken place, since otherwise the paper must many cases be broken. In other 'WOlTCiS, the means controlling the fixedspeed relation mnst anticipate the changes for which it must correct. mechine were provided with regulator which required some change in the speed of the individual element to set it into opera tion the regulators of all of the machines would he required to he in slinost continual operation. if a variation in load shonld occur on on individual element or section of the machine, this change l would the iced rescind i n governor or the s J r power ror the ti o .i .i c 1, I the val-ions motors.

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each element of the. paper tors driving the various elements of the paper machine are not only maintained in fixed speed relation while the machine is making paper, but the variation in angular movement of any given motor is so slight as to produce the same effect as would be pro duced if each of the sections of the machine were geared directly from one shaft. Means are also provided whereby the speed of any individual element of the machine, as well as the speed of the machine as a whole, may be readily adjusted. According to my invention. moreover, this speed adjustment of the individual elements of the machine is accomplished without the transmission of large amounts of power as distinguished from an arrangement in which the full torque required to ope ate each element of the machine is transmitted through an adjustable speed mechanism such for example aS the well known belt and cone pulley drive.

In the accompanying drawing, the machine elements 1, 2 and 3 are represented as driven by direct current motors 50 provided with field windings 60. The armatures of the motors are shown connected across mains 51, 52 through the adjustable resistances 66 and the field windings 60 are supplied from the excitation mains 61 and 63. Adjustable resistances 62 are arranged in the circuits of the field windings 60, and these resistances are arranged to be operated by pilot motors 35. The means for causing the elements 1, 2 and 3 to run in fixed speed relation comprises a member represented as a shaft -7 2, connected to be driven positively from the shaft of each machine element through speed adjusting means including cone pulleys 17 and 18 with belt 19. The members 72 are arranged to be coupled together to run in synchronism by means of the shaft 73. Each shaft 72 is adapted to be connected in positive driving relation to the shaft 73 through a clutch 74: and bevelgears 75 and 76. It is apparent that any mechanical equivalent of the shaft 73 may be substituted in the combination shown. The clutch 74: is represented as a magnetic clutch controlled by the coil 77 supplied from mains 61 and 69 through the circuit controller 67, although any suitable form of clutch may be used. A torsion dynamometer 30 is shown arranged in the shaft 72 to measure the torque transmitted through this shaft. This dynamometer, which may be of any well known construction, performs the function of a wattmeter. That is to say, these dynamometers indicate whether power is being transmitted to or from the corresponding machine element. The torsion dynamometers are represented as provided with contacts 31 32 connected respectively to the field windings 33 and 34 of the pilot motors 35.

The operation of the arrangement shown is as follows: During normal operation, the clutches 74 are engaged and the shaft 73 for synchronizing the shafts 72 causes the machine elements 1, 2 and 3 to run in absolutely fixed speed relation. The angular variation in the position of any rotating machine element with respect to the synchroniz ing shaft 73 is merely that permitted by the corresponding torsion dynamometcr and this variation can be reduced to a negligible value. lVhen any torsion dynamometer indicates that the torque being transmitted therethrough is above any desired amount the resistance 62 may be adjusted, either at will, or automaticaly by the dynamometer.

\Vhile l have represented a torsion dynamometer interposed in each of the shafts 72, it is apparent that this instrument may be omitted with its function if desired. When an electric drive is used a careful observation of the instruments in the circuits of the driving motors 50 will enable a rough determination to be made of the amount and direction of energy transfer through the synchronizing means.

It is obvious that the various elements of the machine may be started into operation either simultaneously or in succession. To start the machines simultaneously the switches 67 are closed to engage the clutches H where magnetic clutches are employed. The resistances 66 will be cut out and the voltage applied to the motor armatures and fields. To operate any machine individually it is merely necessary to disconnect the clutch 7st. hen any machine is to be started individually the motor 50 is first brought up to speed by cutting out the resistances 66 and, when the speed of the individual element of the machine corresponds approximately to that of the shaft 73, the clutch 74 is engaged.

It is apparent that the arrangement shown in the drawing possesses advantages since the amount of. power transmitted through the speed adjusting means and the synchronizing means is but a fraction of the power transmitted fromj'each driving motor 50 to the corresponding machine element. This synchronizing energy is merely that necessary to take care of small ariations in the load of the respective machine elements.

\Vhile I have described a particular embodiment of my invention with considerable detail, it is obvious that many variations and modifications may be made within the scope of my invention and I aim to cover all such changes in the appended claims.

iVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s:-

1. In a segregated drive for a paper making machine or the like wherein a plurality of units of the machine are required to run in a fixed but adjustable speed relation, a

separate driving motor connected in fixed driving relation, with each of said units, mechanical connections between the units through which the power of said motors is exchanged between the units to preserve the predetermined speed relation of the units, and adjusting means included in said connections for permitting the alteration of the speed relation of said driving motors.

2. In a segregated drive for a paper making machine or the like wherein a plurality of units of the machine are required to run in a fixed but adjustable speed relation, a separate driving motor connected in fixed driving relation with each of said units, a shaft mechanically connected to each of said units through which the power of said motors is exchanged between the units for the purpose of preserving the predetermined speed relation of the units, and adjusting means interposed between a portion of said units and said shaft for permitting the alteration ot' the speed relation of said driving motors.

3. In a segregated drive for a paper making machine or the like wherein a plurality of units of the machine are required to run in a fixed but adjustable speed relation, a separate electric driving motor for each of said units, mechanical connections between the units through which power is exchanged between the units to preserve a predetermined speed relation of the units, adjusting means included in said connections for permitting the alteration of the speed relation of said driving motors, and speed controlling means for certain of said motors, the said means being connected to be automatirally operated responsively to the exchange of power through said adjusting means for controlling the speed of the driving motor of the corresponding unit to reduce the amount of power taken from or given to the unit through said connections.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of Qctober, 1922.

WILBUR L. MERRILL. 

